Current Affairs Today

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs January 9 2026, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2026 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

Our Current Affairs January 2026 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Monthly Current Affairs 2026 PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.

Read Current Affairs in CareersCloud APP, Course Name – Learn Current Affairs – Free Course –Click Here to Download the APP

We are Hiring – Subject Matter Expert – English | CA Video Creator | Content Developers(Pondicherry)

Click here for Current Affairs 8 January 2026

Click here for Affairscloud Hindu Free Vocabs telegram channel

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

NSO releases FAE of GDP 2025-26; Real GDP witnesses 7.4% growth in FY26On January 07 2026, the National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the First Advance Estimates (FAE) of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26), along with its Expenditure components both at Constant (2011-12) and Current Price.
Key Highlights
Real GDP Growth: As per the NSO, the Real GDP has been estimated to grow by 7.4% in FY26 against the growth of 6.5% during FY25.

• Real GDP or GDP at Constant Prices is estimated at Rs 201.90 lakh crore in FY26, against the Provisional Estimates (PE) of GDP for the FY25 of Rs 187.97 lakh crore

Nominal GDP growth: Nominal GDP growth at current prices is projected at 8% in FY26, which is lower than the previous year’s record of 10.4%.

• Nominal GDP is estimated at Rs 357.14 lakh crore in FY26, against Rs 330.68 lakh crore in FY25.

Gross Value Added (GVA): Real GVA is estimated at Rs 184.50 lakh crore in the FY26, against the PE for the FY25 of Rs 171.87 lakh crore, registering a growth rate of 7.3%.

• Nominal GVA is estimated at Rs 323.48 lakh crore during FY26, against Rs 300.22 lakh crore in FY25, recording a growth rate of 7.7%.

>>Read Full News

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Launches Integrated Standardisation Portal and Key Initiatives on 79th Foundation Day of BISOn January 6, 2026, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution (MoCAF&PD) and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), launched the Beta Version of new Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Integrated Standardisation portal and several other key initiatives, on the occasion of 79th BIS foundation day celebrations held in New Delhi, Delhi.
Highlights of 79th Foundation Day of BIS :
Key People: Union MoS B.L. Verma, MoCAF&PD, Sanjay Garg, Director General (DG) of BIS, Sanjiv Shankar, Additional Secretary & the Financial Advisor to Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), MoCAF&PD, and other stakeholders, were present at the event.
Key Launches: 

• Beta Version of BIS Portal: It is a future-ready digital platform that integrates the entire standards of development lifecycle into a unified interface.
• SHINE Scheme: Standard Help Inform & Nurture Empowered Women (SHINE), a new BIS scheme is designed to promote women empowerment  through sensitization of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) on Indian standards.
• BIS Education Literature: BIS has developed engaging comic books in both print and 2-Dimensional (2D) animated formats, aiming to promote awareness about standards, quality, safety and counterfeit products among children.

BIS-SAKSHAM: It is a structured initiative to recognise knowledge, skills, and high-impact merit across BIS.
MoUs with Premier Institutions: Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Dharwad), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Palakkad , and National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Auranchal Pradesh (AR) have joined as MoU partner, expanding the reach of BIS to the academia.
>>Read Full News

Ministry of Communications Signs MoUs with MoRD & MoAFW to Set Up National Logistics MechanismOn January 7, 2026, the Department of Posts (DoP), doing business as Indian Post under the Ministry of Communications signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare(DoAFW) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) in New Delhi, Delhi, to establish a national logistics mechanism for rural citizens, farmers, and Self-Help Groups(SHGs).

• The MoUs were signed in the presence of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER); and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, MoRD and MoAFW.

MoU with MoRD:
Purpose: The MoU with DAY‑NRLM(Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission) under the MoRD, aims to expand financial, digital, and logistics services for SHGs and rural households, supporting women and rural entrepreneurs while accelerating rural development and financial inclusion.
Alignment: The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s ‘Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa’ vision, launched in 2024.
MoU with MoAFW:
Purpose: The MoU aims to create a nationwide system for transporting pesticide, seed and fertilizer samples to testing laboratories across India.
Faster Delivery: The sample delivery time will be reduced from 10-15 days to 48-72 hours, enabling faster testing and quicker corrective action.
Framework: The initiative is part of the PAN(Pesticide Action Network) -India Online Pesticide, Seed and Fertilizer Quality Management System being developed by Centre for Research and Industrial Staff Performance (CRISP) and incorporates Quick Response (QR)-based address masking for confidentiality, digital tracking for end-to-end traceability.
>>Read Full News

Indian Navy to Establish New Naval Base at Haldia, West Bengal
In January 2026, the Indian Navy (IN) initiated the establishment of a new naval base (detachment) at Haldia, West Bengal (WB), to strengthen its operational presence, maritime surveillance, and rapid response capabilities in the Bay of Bengal (BOB) amid evolving regional security dynamics.

About Haldia Detachment:
Purpose: The detachment aims to strengthen India’s maritime security in the BOB by enhancing surveillance, coastal defence, rapid response, and protection of sea lanes amid rising extra-regional naval activity.
Location: Located on the Hooghly River near the Haldi River, 130 kilometer (km) from the Sandheads, the base leverages the Haldia Dock Complex with a jetty, admin-logistics facilities, and accommodation for ~100 personnel.
Operations: The base, as a naval detachment, will conduct coastal security, anti-piracy patrols, maritime domain awareness, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and non-combatant evacuations.
Platforms: The facility will primarily support small, high-speed warships such as Fast Interceptor Crafts (FICs) and New Water Jet Fast Attack Crafts (NWJFACs), aligned with Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)-cleared procurement to boost coastal security.
Existing Naval Commands: India’s existing naval commands are the Western Naval Command (WNC) in Mumbai (Maharashtra), the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh, AP), and the Southern Naval Command (SNC) for training in Kochi (Kerala).

CJI Surya Kant Inaugurates India’s First Fully Paperless District Court in Kalpetta, Kerala
On January 6, 2026, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant virtually inaugurated India’s first fully paperless district court system in Kalpetta, Wayanad, Kerala, marking the district judiciary’s complete transition to digital functioning.

About Paperless District Court System:
Developer: The digital platform was developed in‑house by the Kerala High Court(HC) and incorporates Artificial Intelligence (AI)‑based judicial assistance tools.
Operations: All judicial proceedings, from filing to final judgment, are conducted electronically using a centralized digital system.
AI Integration: In-house AI generates structured case summaries, enables interactive Questions and Answers (Q&A), supports digital annotations, and accurately transcribes depositions and judicial dictations via voice-to-text.
Authentication: All orders and judgments are validated with secure digital signatures to ensure integrity and legal validity.
Efficiency: The system reduces clerical delays, repeated court visits, costs, and storage requirements while speeding up communication of orders.

India Becomes the World’s First Country to Commercially Produce Bio-Bitumen
On January 7, 2026, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), announced India has become the first country globally to commercially produce bio-bitumen at a at Council of Scientific Industrial Research(CSIR) Technology Transfer (TT) ceremony titled “From Farm Residue to Roads” in New Delhi, Delhi.

• Union Minister of State(MoS) (Independent Charge, IC) Dr Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T) termed it “Clean, Green Highways era” during CSIR technology transfer.

About Bio-Bitumen:
Partial Replacement: It is a binder material for road construction made by converting agricultural waste such as paddy straw and other crop residues into bio-oil through a pyrolysis process, which is then blended with conventional bitumen.

• With 15% blending, India can save nearly Rs. 4,500 crore in foreign exchange and substantially reduce its dependence on imported crude oil.

Developer: The technology was developed by the Council of Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR)-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP).
Commercialization: Licenses have been issued to multiple Indian manufacturers to produce bio-bitumen, enabling industrial-scale production.

Uttarakhand Police Ranks First in ICJS 2.0 National Rankings
On January 8, 2026, Uttarakhand Police ranked first with a score of 93.46 in the second edition of the national Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) 2.0 rankings, released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

• Haryana Police (93.41) secured second place, followed by Assam 93.16.

About ICJS: 
Overview: It is a digital platform connecting all pillars of the criminal justice ecosystem, including police, courts, prosecution, prisons, forensic labs, and fingerprint and crime databases.
About ICJS 2.0: It is an upgraded version that promotes real-time data sharing, enables “One Data, One Entry” principle, makes investigations faster, more transparent, and evidence-based, and allows tracking of cases from First Information Report (FIR) to conviction digitally.
Uttarakhand Police Recognition: The Uttarakhand Police demonstrated excellence in digital policing and crime data management, integrating district-level systems with the national ICJS platform, and training officers for effective use of ICJS.

• Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force(SDRF) earned Uttar Pradesh (UP) government medals for exemplary service at Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025.

Indian Navy’s 1TS Begins Long Range Training Deployment to Southeast Asia
On January 7, 2026, the First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy (IN) began its Long-Range Training Deployment (LRTD) to Southeast Asia, part of the 110th Integrated Officers’ Training Course (IOTC), giving naval cadets real operational experience at sea.

About Long-Range Training Deployment (LRTD)
Overview: It is a special type of naval training mission where ships, along with naval cadets and trainees, sail for extended periods across long distances, often into foreign waters.
Vessels Deployed: The deployment includes several vessels from the IN and Indian Coast Guard (ICG), including Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tir, INS Shardul , INS Sujata , and Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sarathi.
Operational Exposure: The trainees gain hands-on experience in seamanship, navigation, and professional naval operations in varied maritime environments.
Port Calls & Engagements: The squadron will make scheduled port calls in key Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand.
Significance: The visit strengthens India’s Act East Policy ties with Southeast Asia, promoting a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

USA Withdraws from 66 International Bodies Including India-led ISAOn January 7, 2026, United States of America (USA) President Donald Trump issued an executive order and presidential memorandum announcing the withdrawal of the USA from 66 international organizations, treaties, and commissions, including the India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) and several United Nations (UN)’s–affiliated entities.

• The decision forms part of the administration’s “America First” review of multilateral engagements, citing concerns over national sovereignty, resource use, and alignment with USA interests.

Overview of Withdrawal:
Sovereignty: Executive Order(EO) 14199 mandated a review of USA involvement in international organizations, prompting withdrawal from those deemed wasteful, mismanaged, or misaligned with USA sovereignty and interests.
Scope: The withdrawal covers a total of 66 entities, comprising 35 non–UN organizations and 31 UN-affiliated bodies.
Non-UN Bodies: Key non-UN organizations exited include the ISA, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
UN Entities: Major UN-affiliated bodies affected include the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Water, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Peacebuilding Commission.
ISA Exit: The USA formally exited the India–France–led ISA, ending its participation and approximately USD 2.1 million in contributions made between 2022 and 2025 to support global solar energy efforts.
Legality: The USA Constitution requires Senate approval to enter treaties, but provides no clear process for withdrawal, leaving unilateral exits legally uncertain and open to judicial challenge.
Click here to read full list
About International Solar Alliance(ISA):
The idea of the formation of ISA was conceived as a joint effort of India and France during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) held in Paris, France in 2015.
Director General (DG)– Ashish Khanna
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana
Established – 2015

UNGA Declares 2026 as International Year for Rangelands and Pastoralists
In January 2026, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), at its 76th session held in New York, the United States of America (USA).

• IYRP 2026 aims to raise awareness about rangelands and pastoralists and promote policies for their sustainable management and livelihoods.

About IYRP 2026:
Resolution Adoption: On 28 February 2022, the UN General Assembly(UNGA) adopted a resolution initiated by Mongolia and backed by 60 Member States worldwide.
Implementing Agency: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has been declared the leading agency to celebrate the Year in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.
Key Goals: IYRP 2026 aims to share pastoralist knowledge, encourage innovation, build partnerships, and support policies for sustainable rangelands and livelihoods.
Significance: Rangelands which cover nearly 50% of the Earth’s land surface, supporting more than 2 billion people and over 50% of the world’s livestock.

• These rangelands play a pivotal role in conservation of biodiversity, ecosystem regulation, ecosystem regulation and climate resilience.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI Cancels CoR of 35 NBFCs for Regulatory Non-ComplianceIn January 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the exercise of powers conferred on it under Section 45-IA (6) of the RBI Act, 1934, cancelled the Certificate of Registration (CoR) of 35 Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) for non-compliance with regular requirements, effective from December 9 to 31, 2025.

• As per RBI directions, these companies are now restricted to carry out the business of Non-banking Financial Institutions (NBFIs), as defined in clause (a) of Section 45-I of the RBI Act, 1934.
• Additionally, 16 other NBFCs have voluntarily surrendered their CoR to the RBI which led to the cancellation of registration for various  strategic and operational reasons.

List of NBFCs with Cancelled CoR:
Geographical Concentration:The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) stated that the cancelled NBFCs are predominantly concentrated in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), with only a few located outside.
Cancelled NBFCs: Key firms in Delhi/NCR include AG Securities, ALB Leasing & Finance, ATM Credit & Investments, Corporate Capital Services India, Decisive Finance, Divine Investments, Liberty Sales, Pearls Hire Purchase Corporation, Quasar India Fincap, Sunlife Securities, Sunrise Manufacturing Co, Swito Finance & Estates, Triveni Vinimay and others.

• Outside the NCR, Shivom Investment & Consultancy Ltd is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, while Satya Prakash Capital Investment Ltd operates from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh(MP).

Voluntary Surrender NBFCs :
Categories: These 16 NBFCs span across 3 main categories namely: business exit category (8 companies); meeting unregistered CIC criteria (3 companies); and corporate restructuring (5 companies).
>>Read Full News

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Conferred 2026 IEEE Medal of Honour
On January 6, 2026, Jensen Huang, Chief and Executive Officer (CEO), NVIDIA, was awarded the 2026 IEEE Medal of Honor, the highest recognition from Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

About IEEE Award 2026: 
Revolutionizing Computing: Jensen Huang received the award for his outstanding contributions to the field of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and accelerated computing, which have revolutionized computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and High-Performance Computing (HPC) worldwide.
Cash Prize: The 2026 award includes a USD 2 million cash prize, marking the second consecutive year that IEEE has attached a monetary award to this honor.
Award: The IEEE Medal of Honour, established in 1917, is awarded annually to individuals who have made exceptional contributions or achieved outstanding accomplishments in electrical, electronics, and computer engineering.

SPORTS

Asian Games Gold Medalist Runner Jinson Johnson Announces RetirementOn January 7, 2026, Olympian and Asian Games gold medalist runner Jinson Johnson announced his retirement from competitive middle-distance running, bringing his distinguished 15-year international career to a close

About Jinson Johnson:
Early Career: He began his athletics journey in 2007 by winning a school national medal in Kolkata (West Bengal, WB), marking his entry into competitive middle-distance running.
International Career: Represented India at the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.

• He also represented India at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the 800 meter (m) event, becoming the first Indian male runner to qualify for the Olympic 800m since Sriram Singh in 1980.

Asian Games Success: Won gold (1500m) and silver (800m) at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia and bronze in the 1500m at the 2023 Asian Games held in Hangzhou (China), his final international appearance.
Asian Athletics Championships: Secured a silver medal (2015) and bronze medal (2017) at the Asian Athletics Championships and finished fifth at the 2018 Commonwealth Games (Australia) while breaking a 23-year-old national 1500m record.
National Records: Set the 800m national record of 1:45.65 in 2018, breaking Sriram Singh’s 42-year-old mark, and currently holds the 1500m national record of 3:35.24 set in Internationales Stadionfest (ISTAF), Berlin in 2019.
Career Highlights: Ranked Asia’s top middle-distance athlete in 2018, represented Asia-Pacific at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Continental Cup held in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
About Athletics Federation of India (AFI):
President – Bahadur Singh Sagoo
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 1946

Renowned Australian Cricketer Usman Khawaja Announced Retirement from International Cricket
In January 2026, renowned Pakistan-born Australian cricketer Usman Tariq Khawaja announced his retirement from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes Test held at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney, Australia, marked his 88th Test match.

About Usman Khawaja:
Debut Match: He, Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer, started his international cricket career debuting against England in the final Test Match of 2010-11 series.

• In 2018, he scored his 1st Ashes century (171 runs)at the SCG against England.

Test Match Career: He scored 6206 runs in 87 test matches and 157 innings at an average of 43.39, including 16 hundreds (100s) and 28 fifties (50s) in the longest format.
ODI Career: He scored 1554 runs in 40 One Day Internationals (ODIs) matches and 39 innings at an average of 42, including two centuries and 12 fifties.

OBITUARY

Former Union Minister and Veteran BJP Leader Kabindra Purkayastha Passed AwayOn 7th January 2026, veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Minister of State (MoS) Kabindra Purkayastha, Ministry of Communications, passed away at the age of 94 in Silchar, Assam.

• He was born on 15th December 1931 at Kamarkhal, then part of Sylhet district (presently in Bangladesh).

About Kabindra Purkayastha:
Legacy: Known as the patriarch of the BJP in Assam and remembered as an intellectual mentor who shaped the party’s growth in the state.
RSS Association: Joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1951, serving as a pracharak across the Northeast after working as a teacher before entering active politics.
BJP: A founding member of the BJP who strengthened its organisational base in Assam and Northeast India, earned recognition as its patriarch in Assam particularly the Barak Valley, and worked for refugee rehabilitation and regional development.
Parliament: Elected as a three-time Member of Parliament(MP) from the Silchar Lok Sabha constituency in 1991, 1998, and 2009.
Ministry: Served as Union MoS for Ministry of Communications during 1998–1999 under Prime Minister (PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Renowned Ecologist & Conservationist Madhav Gadgil Passed AwayOn January 8, 2026, Ecologist, Scholar, and Conservationist Madhav Dhananjaya Gadgil passed away at the age of 83 in Pune, Maharashtra. He was born on April 24, 1942 in Poona, Bombay Province, British India(now Pune, Maharashtra).

• He was honoured with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 1981 in the field of Civil Service and the Padma Bhushan in 2006 in the field of Science and Engineering.

About Madhav Gadgil:
Profile: Madhav Gadgil,recognized as the father of modern Indian ecology, was a distinguished Indian ecologist, academic, author and environmental conservationist known for his pioneering contributions to ecological science and policy.
Career: In the 1960s, he began his career as a scientist and researcher in ecology. He joined the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru (Karnataka). Later, he became a founding faculty member of the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) at IISc and played a crucial role in designing curricula in ecology, establishing long-term ecological field studies, and training students in scientific methods.

• From 1981 to 2005, he served as Professor of Ecology at IISc, researching forest ecosystems and biodiversity, mentoring students, and contributing to environmental education, documentation, and sustainable development initiatives.

Key Positions: In 2010, he was appointed as Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), also known as the Gadgil Commission.

• Served as a member of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
• He served on the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister(PM) and chaired international bodies, including the Science and Technology Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility.

Key Contributions: He was instrumental in creating India’s first Biosphere Reserve(BR), Nilgiri BR, and in framing the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Scholarly Contributions: Authored more than 250 papers on ecology and conservation, with many translated into multiple Indian languages.
Awards : In 2024, he was honored with the United Nations (UN) Champion of the Earth Award. He also received the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement (2015), Harvard Centennial Medal (2002), and Vikram Sarabhai Award (1990).

*******

Current Affairs Today (AffairsCloud Today)